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Google Drive now sends a notification when someone shares a file with you

Google is making some changes to Drive today that will make sharing files a lot more convenient.

First up, Google is introducing sharing notifications; you’ll now be notified on iOS and Android when someone has shared a file or folder with you.

It’s a small but welcome update that should make it a lot easier to let people know when you’ve shared a file. Many users don’t keep email notifications on, and if they do, there’s a chance the file will get buried under other messages.

Meanwhile Drive for Android now makes it easy for others to ask for permission to for a file – simply tap on the ‘request access’ button. On both Android and iOS, file owners will be notified when someone asks for permission.

Finally, Android phones now let you preview files even if you don’t have a Google account. While that probably wasn’t a huge concern given almost every Android device asks you to sign up with your Google account, it’s welcome for those who don’t want to be tied into Google’s ecosystem.

As for when you’ll be able to try out the new features, Google vaguely says “Some of the features mentioned are already available. Look for the rest to roll out in the coming week or so.”